Pawnee County Points of Interest

THE SANTA FE TRAIL CENTER

K-156, 2 miles west of Larned 620-285-2054 Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Open Tuesday - Saturday. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Museum telling the story of the Santa Fe Trail. Outdoor museum, sod and dugout houses and one-room schoolhouse. Offers living history programs during special events throughout the year, call for times. Admission: $6 adults, $3 students 12-18, $2 children 6-11, free to preschoolers, Fort Larned Historical Society Members Free. School groups with teachers receive a 50 percent discount.

PAWNEE COUNTY AREA ALL VETERANS MEMORIAL

Located in Doerr-Vernon Park at the intersection of Fort Larned Avenue and College Street. Dedicated to the servicemen and women of Pawnee County and the surrounding area. The engraved memorial includes Veteran Honor Rolls from the Indian Wars to the Modern Era, memorial benches, stones and pavers.

ZEBULON PIKE PLAZA

The Plaza is located on the south edge of Larned on US Highway 56 next to Schnack Park. It commemorates Pike’s nearby crossing of the Pawnee River in October 1806 on his mission to conduct an exploratory expedition of the southwest portion of the Louisiana Purchase. It provides a reference to Pike and other explorers who traveled the Santa Fe Trail and has a picnic area.

THE SANTA FE TRAIL

An itinerary of 73 markers placed on the five separate routes of the Santa Fe Trail in present day Pawnee, Edwards, and Ford counties in Kansas. Many of the sites can be viewed from the roadside. Check out https://www.nps.gov/safe for trail events, trail tours, geocaching, and information on the Wet and Dry Routes of the Santa Fe Trail. In 2021, The Santa Fe Trail commemorates the 200th Anniversary of the trail. Pawnee County is proud of the trail history and heritage.

LARNED FISHING POND GARFIELD MEMORIAL WAYSIDE CHAPEL

South Main & Cleveland St., Larned Larned is proud to offer a fishing pond to our community and guests. Located west of South Main Street you will find the handicap accessible pond. The pond is stocked regularly and includes a wide variety of fish. The pond also features shaded picnic areas. Open daily with no admission fee.

DISCOVERER OF PLUTO HISTORICAL MARKER

K-156, West edge of Burdett Whether you consider it a planet or a dwarf planet, Pluto has received plenty of press lately. Burdett is the boyhood home of Dr. Clyde Tombaugh, discoverer of the Pluto. It was here that his love of stars began, as he began his love-affair with the night sky. Take a drive past the marker and learn more about the man who not only discovered today’s most controversial planet-like body, but also made several other notable space discoveries. US-56, Garfield Downey Memorial Park Garfield’s first citizens in 1873 honored their former congressman, James A. Garfield of Ohio, by naming the town after him. In gratitude, he gave the town a bell for the first church erected. That church was Garfield’s Congregational Church, built in 1875. The Wayside Chapel is a memorial to the church, made from pieces of the church, and inside visitors can view the bell.

SCHNACK-LOWERY PARK

W. First and Carroll, Larned Visit the duck pond.

ALICE SCHNACK MEMORIAL ROSE GARDEN

Schnack-Lowrey Park W. First and Carroll, Larned

“THE LAST ALARM”

FORT LARNED NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

1767 K-156, Larned Visitor Center, 620-285-6911 Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. There is no charge for any of the park’s activities. An authentic army post from the 1860s -1870s on the Santa Fe Trail. Nine restored buildings make it the best preserved Indian Wars military post on the trail. Larned Cemetery One mile west of Larned on K-156, then 1/2 mile south. Memorial to fallen Larned firefighters According to Kansassampler.org, “‘The Last Alarm’ is one of the standout memorials dedicated to fallen Larned firefighters.”